Image of Gaia in the Long Room in the Old Library
Image of Gaia in the Long Room from the upper gallery

Experience
the

  • wonder
  • history
  • future
  • journey
  • stories
The Book of Kells Experience logo in white

Don’t miss the chance to see the Book of Kells in person, marvel at our world famous Old Library and immerse yourself in history through our Book of Kells Experience.

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From €26 per person

Pages on
display

Discover the intricate symbolism and artistry in Book of Kells.
Gospel of Matthew folios 7v – 8r.
The pages of the Book of Kells are turned several times per year for conservation purposes. The pages currently on view are from the Gospel of Matthew.
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What you’ll see

Chapter 1: The Old Library, The Book of Kells and Gaia

Explore Trinity’s Old Library, view the world-famous Book of Kells and marvel at Gaia. Learn about the symbolism and artistry of the 1,200-year-old manuscript and get a close-up look at the current pages on display. Listen to our free audio guide to hear from Trinity experts throughout your visit.
White statues along the aisles in the old library

The Old Library

The Long Room, often hailed as one of the world’s most beautiful libraries and affectionately known as “Ireland’s front room,” is a marvel to behold. Stepping into its grand chamber is an awe-inspiring experience, now made even more striking by the stunning Gaia installation.

The Book of Kells

Experience Ireland’s greatest cultural treasure like never before. In the Old Library, experience the wonder of the Book of Kells, and marvel at the Long Room, considered to be one of the world’s most beautiful libraries.

Chapter 2: The Red Pavilion Digital Exhibitions & Gift Shop

Venture on an extraordinary voyage through the Secret Life of the Collections, The Book of Kells 360 and The Long Room Reimagined – three immersive digital exhibitions that ensure your visit will be a memorable one.
Red Pavillion on trinity campus

The Red Pavilion

Our second building in The Book of Kells Experience, and home to three enchanting, immersive digital exhibitions. The Book of Kells Experience gift shop can also be found here, full of souvenirs so you can take a piece of your visit home with you.
Two women sitting on a bench taking photos and admiring the Secret Life of the Collections

Secret Life of the Collections

Enter the Secret Life of the Collections, where you’ll be enchanted as stories and artifacts come to life before your eyes. Interact with spirited sculptures including Ada Lovelace, Jonathan Swift and Rosalind Franklin.

Reviews

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Visitor favourite

One of the most loved walking tours in Europe, according to visitors

4.93

3,204

Reviews
Ads Diver profile picture
Ads Diver
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Wonderful, try to get audio description and take a slow walk around. Its an experience and also you learn a lot.
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Daniel Vorbach profile picture
Daniel Vorbach
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WOW
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Ed O'Brien profile picture
Ed O'Brien
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A place to remember seeing the library globe and shelves upstairs from the Book of Kells. The book was on depiction of Mary, the artistry amazing. The movies explaining what you are seeing and the history were just really well done.
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Emir altıkardeşler profile picture
Emir altıkardeşler
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+0
It's an amazing place. The library is a must-see.

(Translated by Google, see original)
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Grace Henley profile picture
Grace Henley
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+3
Absolute MUST in Dublin. Such a great experience and the long room?! Amazing. We booked with a guided tour of the campus, which was super informative. Our tour guide, Clementine was really great, charismatic and very helpful. The book was what we visited for, but it's safe to say that the long room absolutely stole the show. The smell when you walk in is incredible. I will say though that if you suffer from motion sickness, then the 360⁰ room might make you queasy. If you're in doubt whether it's worth the money to see a book (I was) then just do it, you won't be disappointed!
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Blaire Hartley profile picture
Blaire Hartley
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+3
Great tour. Beautiful too! Self guided. Lots to see. 90 minutes for sure.
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Jeannie Keohane profile picture
Jeannie Keohane
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+7
Enjoyed the exhibition very much. And to see The Book of Kells open was fantastic. The colour and art work still so vibrant. The library and long room wow !!! I gasped as I turned the corner at the top of the stairs. Well worth a visit. Trinity and grounds are beautiful, especially in the sunshine 🌞
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Josh Larsen profile picture
Josh Larsen
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Very well done experience. And what a correction
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Ralf Menge profile picture
Ralf Menge
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A must-see. Great multilingual tour (bring headphones for your phone).

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Sierra Shutters profile picture
Sierra Shutters
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This was my second time doing this experience. While I was excited to see the books, I didn't think I would find anything too exciting as I'd seen it before. Well, I was wrong! They added a second building/experience which was truly astounding. The mix of technology, historical facts, and art was truly an amazing feat.
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Katheryn Anne profile picture
Katheryn Anne
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+4
Absolutely the most incredible book to learn about and to see. If you are in Dublin, make sure to see this and the Trunty College Library.
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kukor ica profile picture
kukor ica
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+3
It was interesting, great time unbelievable place
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Wouthera Hermans profile picture
Wouthera Hermans
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Great audio tour in DUTCH.

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David Jandran profile picture
David Jandran
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+2
Interesting to say the least
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eva jimenez profile picture
eva jimenez
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+2
A place with a lot of history!

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István Kovács profile picture
István Kovács
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Very interesting!!!! Fantastic 😍!
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Ramon Ortiz profile picture
Ramon Ortiz
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+9
The Books of Kers Experience offers an absolutely captivating immersion that far surpasses the typical cultural visit. From the moment you step through the door, the meticulous ambiance, lighting, and attention to detail immediately transport you to a unique literary universe, where every corner tells its own story. The narrative is masterfully woven, achieving a perfect balance between nostalgia for the great classics and innovative staging. The guides and staff display a contagious passion that enriches the experience, making you feel not just as a spectator, but as a character within the story. It is a must-do for both book lovers and those seeking an original, carefully curated, and high-quality leisure experience. Without a doubt, it's one of those experiences that stays with you and that you'll want to repeat from the very first minute.

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John Lilly profile picture
John Lilly
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+3
Must see site in Dublin! The tour takes about 90 minutes, and it comes with a free audio guide that tells you everything you need to know. The history of the book is fascinating and you get goosebumps when you actually see the Book of Kells. The library tour is equally stunning even though most of the books are being repaired right now. There is a new multimedia experience after the tour that gives you added background information if you want it.
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J Lee profile picture
J Lee
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Amazing! Loved the audio tour from the phone- made it so much easier to go through on your own! Was very easy to follow and gave so many details!
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Peter Van Renterghem profile picture
Peter Van Renterghem
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+20
Trinity College Dublin is the oldest university in Ireland and home to the country's greatest cultural treasure: the Book of Kells. This precious 9th-century manuscript, containing the four Gospels of the New Testament, is on display as part of the Book of Kells Experience. In the Old Library, visitors can first admire the book (photography prohibited), after which they proceed to the Long Room, considered one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. Also on display is Gaia, the awe-inspiring, illuminated artwork by Luke Jerram. Gaia displays detailed NASA images of the Earth's surface, showing the planet floating in three dimensions as it would be seen from space. Next, there is a digital exhibition in the Red Pavilion next to the Old Library, where all the stories, animations, and sculptures come to life before your eyes. Open: Monday to Thursday 8:30 AM - 6:30 PM, Friday and Saturday 8:30 AM - 7:00 PM, Sunday 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM. Tickets: €25 pp (online only)

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Michael Banker profile picture
Michael Banker
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Marvelous educational experience that gives you a great deal of perspective in regards to literature and it's preservation.
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Andrew Brown profile picture
Andrew Brown
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Educational and informative. Amazing to see such historic and interesting history of Ireland.
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Katinov Photography & Videography profile picture
Katinov Photography & Videography
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+33
An absolutely incredible experience. The way they brought the history to life through immersive digital projections is visually stunning. The attention to detail in the lighting and the 360-degree displays create a truly captivating atmosphere that completely surrounds you. It's a masterpiece of visual storytelling. Highly recommend visiting!
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John Munson profile picture
John Munson
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Great tour! Lots of history!
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Αναστασης Χατζηαγγελιδης profile picture
Αναστασης Χατζηαγγελιδης
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That is a prime site right in Dublin centre. Even if you are not interested in medieval history or religious artifacts, the way that the specific manuscript has been presented is excellent and the visit to Trinity library supports the overall immersive experience. Unfortunately I did not have time to extend to the digital part of the exhibition, which would probably worth a look, still the overall visit was excellent.
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Conny_Nelly_Corale profile picture
Conny_Nelly_Corale
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Seeing the historic Book of Kells up close is already a very special experience. But the extended Book of Kells Experience is also incredibly well done. Modern, digital light and sound installations bring the story of the manuscript and the monks vividly to life. The combination of the centuries-old parchment pages and the state-of-the-art, immersive show is extremely successful. An absolute highlight for culture and history enthusiasts in Dublin!

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Ken Seibert profile picture
Ken Seibert
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+0
I found this very interesting. Viewing the video explanations in the entrance before looking at the actual book helped a lot. The library hall was most impressive!
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federica b a profile picture
federica b a
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Former student, his explanation was thorough, interesting, and personalized. Despite the language barrier, we were very well understood. Friday, Matt, 8:30 am.

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路过 profile picture
路过
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+10
At Trinity College, you can enter by booking tickets in advance and showing up at the designated time. Inside, there's an original copy of the Book of Kells, which is very beautiful. They say it was hand-painted by the monks and wasn't for everyday viewing, but for use in ceremonies. The old library on the second floor is also magnificent.

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Stéphane Béland profile picture
Stéphane Béland
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+5
We visited the Book of Kells attraction and we loved it. Seeing such an old book in person is extraordinary in itself, and then seeing the majestic Long Room is just as amazing. The interactive part afterwards is really well done. I highly recommend this visit.

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Plan your visit

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Opening hours

Monday – Thursday:  8:30 am – 6:30 pm
Friday – Saturday: 8:30 am – 7:00 pm
Sunday: 09:00 am – 6:30 pm

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Ticket policies, groups, discounts

Online booking is strongly recommended for the Book of Kells Experience and entry is timed.

Tickets are non-refundable once purchased.

Concession tickets are available for senior citizens and students. Students are required to present a valid student card upon entry.

Primary-Secondary teachers: please contact bookofkells@tcd.ie for more information.

Educational groups: please book at the group rate on our website.

Trinity students and staff are welcome to visit the Book of Kells Experience free of charge and they can bring up to 2 guests.

Pre-booking is essential. Each student/staff member must book a ticket for themselves and separate tickets for every guest they bring. For example, if a student/staff wants to bring 2 guests then they must book 3 tickets.

Type your Trinity student or staff number into the promo code box. A new ticket option for “TCD Staff/Student” tickets will appear at the end of the ticket menu for you to select.

Complimentary tickets are limited. If a time slot is not available, the option for “TCD Staff/Student” tickets will not appear.

Please try another time slot in that case. Please note that there is a maximum number of complimentary tickets that each student and staff members can avail of in a given academic year.

Trinity alumni are welcome to visit the Book of Kells of Kells Experience free of charge and they can bring up to 2 guests. Pre-booking is essential.

To book please email bookofkellsexperience@tcd.ie with your preferred date and time of visit, allowing at least 3 working days’ notice.

Booking is subject to availability.

About the tour

Your visitor experience starts at the Old Library building.

Firstly, you will enter the Old Library, where you will view the Book of Kells and explore the Long Room.

Afterwards, you will head to the Pavilion building to embark on a digital journey through the Old Library’s precious collections.

The Pavilion is located less than 1 minute’s walk from the Old Library.

Your experience ends at the gift shop located at the end of the Pavilion.

We recommend allowing an hour and a half for your entire visitor experience from start to finish.

There is an audio guide available in English, Irish, German, Italian, Spanish, French, Mandarin, Dutch, Portuguese, Cantonese, Japanese, Russian and Ukrainian.

The audio guide can be accessed via a QR on-site at the beginning of the exhibit, or via the link below.

Open Audio Guide

All books from the Long Room have been removed as part of the historic Old Library Redevelopment Project, with the exception of the first four bays as you enter the space.

We recommend allowing yourself 90 minutes to take in the full visitor experience.

Non-flash photography is allowed for personal and non-commercial purposes throughout the Experience. Photography in the Treasury where the Book of Kells is housed is forbidden due to the sensitive nature of the manuscript. Tripods are not permitted. It is the visitor’s responsibility to ensure no copyright is infringed.

Accessibility and facilities

Accessibility Guide

There are no toilets in the Old Library, however there are toilets available towards the end of your experience. Please ask a member of our team to direct you to the toilets if you need to use the facilities during your visitor experience.

The Old Library is fully wheelchair accessible. On arrival, please speak to one of our staff members who will arrange for a Library Guard to assist you in using our elevator and accessing all areas of the exhibition. The Pavilion is also fully wheelchair accessible and is located on one ground floor.

There are no storage facilities available in the Book of Kells Experience.

Find out more about The Old Library

Helpful links

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Keep a memory of The Book of Kells with you

Keep a memory of The Book of Kells with you

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The Book of Kells - Gift Edition

The Book of Kells – Gift Edition

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Book Of Kells Foil Bookmark - Chi Rho

Book Of Kells Foil Bookmark – Chi Rho

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Book Of Kells Notebook w’Clip – Chi Rho

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Book of Kells Gold Plated Celtic Initial Pendant

Book of Kells Gold Plated Celtic Initial Pendant

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